Unexplainable Pinky and the (lab-grown) Brain
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Nov 20, 2024 Lab rats face unexpected challenges, revealing that they might not be the best choice for scientific research. Discover innovative alternatives like organ-on-a-chip technology and organoids that could revolutionize drug testing. The conversation dives into ethical dilemmas and shifting paradigms in the quest for more humane options. Learn how recent legislative changes impact animal testing in drug trials, while the essential role of animal research in neuroscience remains crucial for understanding memory and disease mechanisms.
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Limitations of Animal Models
- Animal research, while leading to medical breakthroughs, has limitations.
- Around 90% of drugs successful in animal tests fail human trials, highlighting a translational gap.
Organ-on-a-Chip Technology
- Organ-on-a-chip technology offers a cheaper and potentially more accurate alternative to animal testing.
- Emulate's liver chip correctly identified toxic drugs nearly 90% of the time in a study, outperforming animal tests.
Organoids for Alzheimer's Research
- Brain organoids, derived from human stem cells, offer personalized disease modeling.
- A researcher at Johns Hopkins uses organoids to study Alzheimer's, observing disease signs within four months of development.